Holder for fastener attaching means



1949- c. D. BUCKLEY HOLDER FOR FASTENER ATTACHING MEANS Filed Jan. 7, 1946 gwuq/Mo'v C'Zyole D6 Biz/63:263.

Patented Feb. 22, 1949 warren STATES PATENT FlCE HOLDER FOR FASTENLR ATTACHING MEANS Application January '7, 1946, Serial No. 639,635

2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in fastener attaching means and tools and aims generally to improve existing means and tools for applying snap fastener socket members and the like to a support.

One type of machine, commonly employed for applying fastener members to a support, comprises a manually operated press having a relative movable upper punch and lower die or platen. The component parts of the fastener member are usually manually fed to the machine and held in proper position on the support by the hands of the operator. Movement of the punch toward the platen to affix the fastener to the support may be controlled by a treadle operated lever or mechanism.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved construction of fastener attaching punch that will support the fastener socket member to be applied.

to a support prior to and during attachment of the socket member to the support, thus avoiding the necessity of the operator to manually position the socket member accurately under a descending punch. It has been found that the usual sizing pin required a hard push on the socket to place it on the socket pin and operators complain of hurting their fingers doing such work day in and day out. My invention overcomes this objection.

Other aims and objects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and annexed specification illustrating and describing a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmental perspective view of a portion of one type of manually operated press commonly employed for amxing fastener mem- 'bers to a support, and illustrating how the fastener socket member may be supported by the punch reparatory to affixing the fastener member to the support;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a punch and punch pin embodying the invention and illustrating the manner of supporting a fastener socket member thereon, the socket member being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of an improved tapered punch pin embodying the invention;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the punch pin shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a punch pin with a straight side and a bulbous head.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is between which a support of flexible material I,

to which the fasteners are to be attached, is fed. Relative movement of the punch 5 and platen 6 may be effected by suitable treadle controlled lever mechanism, not shown, but which is well understood in the art.

The socket fastener member l0 may be of an approved type having a resilient stud-receiving aperture which is advantageously formed by an annular series of resilient fingers H. The socket member ill may be of the type having a retainer ring portion 52 and an anvil portion l3 and adapted to be secured to the support I by a clinch ring i l having prongs is adapted to penetrate the support and be curled into the retainer ring portion 52 by engagement with the anvil portion i3 as will be understood in the art.

According to the invention, one end of the punch 5 is recessed as at 29 (Fig. 2), the base of the recess being counterbored as at El and threaded to receive a threaded shank 23 of a punch pin, the body 22 of which is positioned in the recess 2% of the punch 5. The lower terminal end of the punch pin is provided with a bulbous head 2% joined to the body 22 by a reduced neck 2%. The diameter of the head 2 is preferably such as will receive the spring fingers ll of the socket member in of a snap fastener. A tapered punch pin or a straight sided separate punch pin may be provided for fastener socket members of difierent diameter stud-receiving apertures depending on the uses of the fasteners. The lower face of the bulbous head 24 may be suitably shaped as by being slotted as at 21 to receive a tool, for example a screw driver, by means of which the punch pin may be rotated relative to the punch 6 to adjust the punch pin axially thereof. In any event the bulbous head is made of a size to permit ease of snapping of the socket thereto.

As will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 2 the attaching press may normally be open with the punch in an elevated position away from the platen 5 or support l. If the fastener socket member to be applied to the support is of the clinch ring type, as illustrated and referred to above, the operator may first position a clinch ring M on the platen 6. The operator then positions a socket member ill on the punch pin by slipping the stud-receiving aperture portion thereof over the bulbous head 26, the resilient fingers H of the fastener socket Ill expanding to effect a snap fastener engagement in the groove 26 provided beyond the head 24. Both hands of the operator thus are free to control and properly position the support 1 to receive the socket member 10 and clinch ring 14.

During the final attaching operation, the punch provides one pressure applying member for engagernent with the socket member, and in the illustre-ted embodiment of my invention the punch has an annular socket-engagin surface 38 surrounding the punch pin. Because of variations in the socket'member due to its construction and shape as well as the material from which it is made and also due to variations in the nature of the support 1 due to its thickness and other properties, it is desirable that distance between the plane of the socket-engaging surface 3!! and the upper supporting surface of the bulbous head 24 be adjustably controlled to produce uniform results. This is provided by the threaded bore 2! and punch pin shank 23 effective as a result of rotation of the punch pin to raise or lower the supporting head 2d relative to the punch surface 30.

It will be apparent that the socket member is supported and carried by the punch pin by the head 24 prior to and during the attaching Operation. After the fastener socket is attached to the support, the punch pin is readily disengaged from the socket member during the elevating movement of the punch due to the resilient snap fastener connection between the fingers H and the head 24. The punch pin may have a straight side portion 3| beyond the head 24 (Fig. 5) or it may have a tapered side portion 32 as shown in Fig. 3.

The invention is not to be restricted to the de- 4 tails of the single embodiment of the invention shown and described, as the scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A snap fastener socket attaching means comprising a punch having an annular portion at one end, a coaxial pin in combination with said punch, said pin having head and neck portions at its outermost end for attachment to a socket member through an opening thereof.

2. A snap fastener socket attaching means comprising a punch having an annular portion at one end, a coaxial pin in combination with said punch, said pin having a regular tapering frustro-conical head extendin with its smallest portion beyond said annular portion, said pin having a bulbous element at its outermost end adjacent said smallest portion of said head, and means for adjustin the position of said pin axially of said punch to vary selectively the plane of maximum diameter of said head beyond the plane of the end of said annular portion.

CLYDE D. BUCKLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Michael Aug. 21, 1945 

